1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new kind of veneer and a method for manufacturing the same. This veneer originally has the straight grain but assumes the cross grain which resembles especially the one technically termed "Chijimi" grain. The present invention relates also to a method of forming the cross grain artificially on the surface of straight-grained veneer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Veneer is conventionally produced by cutting wood thin (0.2 to 0.5 mm) by using veneer peeling machines, such as slicer and rotary lathe. These machines are provided with a knife to cut wood, which is of such a type that the cutting edge runs straight in the lengthwise direction of the knife. The veneer cut from wood is backed with paper or nonwoven fabric and the resulting sheet is used as the surface decorative material for the interior of building, furniture, and vehicles.
Some kinds of wood have a kind of cross grain which is seen on the section of straight grain. (This cross grain is termed "Chijimi" grain in the woodworking industry.) For example, Aesculus turbinata BLUME (Japanese horse chestnut) has a kind of interlocked grain called "Tochitorachijimi" grain, and Swietenia mahagoni JACQ or Swietenia macrophylla KING has a kind of wavy grain called "Gozachijimi" grain. A variety of cross grain is also found in Fraxinus longicuspis or F. mandshurica, Acer saccharun MARSH., Larix leptolepis, Khaya sp. (Acajou), and the like. Since the cross grain mentioned above is found only at a specific part of a specific species of wood, any wood having the designwise fine cross grain is highly regarded because of its scarcity value. However, some kinds of wood which have the cross grain (especially wavy grain and interlocked grain) of good appearance and artistic value are becoming less available than before owing to the recent exhaustion of wood resources. Therefore, cross-grained veneer is highly prized in the market.